Besides changes in packaging, a lot of the products on Martie’s website are available because they are approaching the date written on their packaging. While the date may have passed, the food is still delicious. There’s a lot of different terminology related to dates on our foods, so we wanted to clarify a few of them for you.
Best If Used By refers to the date in which a product will be at its peak quality! Yup, you heard us right… PEAK QUALITY. Most people treat this date as a sort of ‘last call’ for this item. In actuality, this is the producers method of telling you what day the food will be at its best flavor and texture (how sweet of them)!!
The Use By date is most commonly found on perishable items like meat or dairy. This number suggests when the item should be consumed, however it’s not an end all be all. Check out this little cheat sheet for some pointers on how long the food in your fridge really lasts.
Sell By, is the date that tells the retailers to get that product off their shelves by. This doesn't mean that it's no longer safe to consume after this date, it's rather a reminder on how long to display that item. Once in your pantry, it will often be good for a while longer. A good rule of thumb to reference when evaluating your food is, if it smells or looks funky it might not be the best to consume- better to be safe than sorry.
A 2013 report found that 40% of American food goes uneaten each year, and the date labelling system is in large part to blame. Help reduce the amount of food waste, and don't judge your food just based on the number written on the packaging. You should always use common sense when evaluating food items, no matter the date, but odds are… even if the date has passed, it's still safe to eat!
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